Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-24 at 19:02

HEADLINES
IDF contractor dies in Gaza building collapse
Israel Lebanon talks stall in Washington
Rutte urges Trump to ease NATO tensions

The time is now 7:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Raed Abu Al-Qian, a civilian contractor with the IDF, was killed by a building collapse in the Gaza Strip. The Hura resident had been working on engineering projects in Gaza on behalf of the Defense Ministry, and his family has been notified, the military said. Defense officials told Walla that the IDF had achieved operational control over 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, and a security source said the area under Israeli control could grow in coming months as Hamas allegedly drags its feet, entrenching itself and preparing for war with Israel. The Southern Command conducts daily assessments across the Gaza Strip, combining IDF and Shin Bet intelligence to coordinate responses to threats. Earlier, reports described negotiations by Israeli companies for large-scale demolition of Gaza’s structures, described as unprecedented in scope, with sources noting the government’s stated aim to advance reconstruction. Separately, the first day of Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington ended without progress, with major disagreements over the scope and timing of an Israeli withdrawal. The discussions remained tense and the gaps wide, as US mediators restart efforts to soften positions and get negotiations back on track.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to ease tensions with President Donald Trump at the White House, using flattery and gentle pushback to argue that examples of allies’ reluctance to support the US war with Iran were isolated cases. The NATO chief is in Washington to help ease strains over the Iran war and US threats to draw down troops in Europe ahead of a pivotal NATO leaders’ summit in July in Ankara. Trump, who has called the alliance a “paper tiger,” has been angered by allies’ reluctance to back the US in the Middle East conflict or to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after a February 28 attack disrupted the major oil shipping route. During the Oval Office meeting, Rutte showed charts illustrating how NATO countries have increased defense spending since 2017 and noted thousands of US military planes operating from bases in Europe as evidence of cooperation. He stressed that concerns about support were limited to isolated cases.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Netanyahu said Israel will be the first country in the world to solve the global explosive drone problem during a speech at the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel Conference. He highlighted Israel’s military successes against Hezbollah, which frequently launches explosive drones toward Israeli territory and IDF troops in southern Lebanon, describing the progress as unbelievable. He argued that a security zone exists to prevent Hezbollah remnants from invading the Galilee and that underground infrastructure is being destroyed, adding that much of Israel’s progress has come despite global pressure to halt military operations. “If we had followed the suggestion to stop at Rafah, we would have gotten nada, zero, nothing,” he said, and he spoke of progress against Iran, noting that he has dedicated most of his adult life to preventing threats. Polls show support for the Bennett-Lapid alliance slipping as Eisenkot’s party climbs, with Channel 13 projecting Likud at about 23 seats and Yashar at 20, Together at 15, and Yisrael Beytenu around 12; Kan’s poll had Likud at 24, Yashar at 22, Together at 16, and Yisrael Beytenu around 10. Other parties range in single digits to mid-teens across the two surveys. An opinion piece within the block argues that the nation’s greatest danger is internal division, urging unity while acknowledging disagreements, and calls on MK Yisrael Eichler and MK Gilad Kariv to sit down and discuss matters of religion, with Yitzhak Pindrus and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana urged to find common ground, and Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf invited to join the dialogue.

In Uplifting News, a joint FIFA-LEGO event will bring a World Cup-themed interactive fan experience to Sha’ar HaTzafon Mall in Kiryat Ata for three days this summer. The event, the only northern Israel location hosting the official FIFA-LEGO collaboration this summer, offers free admission for children and families. Upon entering, participants receive a “Player Card” and move through stations that simulate elements of a World Cup-style tournament. The first station tasks children with building a miniature World Cup trophy from LEGO bricks, which they may keep and have stamped on their card. A second station uses the Blazepod light system for a reaction-time and agility challenge, with children aged six and older competing to post fast times and high scores. The organizers describe daily participation activities as part of the experience. Also featured in this block is the story of Nathan Straus, a Macy’s magnate who used his fortune to combat disease in New York and British Mandatory Palestine. Straus helped establish milk depots for sick babies in New York City, funded malaria treatments in Palestine, and pioneered a milk pasteurization program in New York that he expanded nationwide and overseas. He was praised by Jewish leaders such as Rabbi Stephen Wise and Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah, and his life is chronicled in Nathan Straus: From Macy’s Magnate to International Humanitarian by Andrew Fisher.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-900432
https://t.me/selena_updates/66180
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/06/white-house-natos-rutte-tries-ease-tensions-trump-over-iran
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900433
https://www.timesofisrael.com/polls-show-support-for-bennett-lapid-alliance-slipping-as-eisenkots-party-climbs/
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-900426
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-900429
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-900428